Theos-Talk Archives (June 2011 Message tt00004)

I have posted messages detailing the need for making important, voluminous,
out of print and pricey theosophical publications as pdf files for free on
the Internet so that the average theosophists who is not a fat cat can
access them and study them and this is bound to help the mission of
theosophy and TS. So far, it has fallen in deaf ears, which should not
surprise anyone. At a time when the world is embracing Internet and using it
as an integral part of day to day transactions, organizational leaders and
decision makers whose duty is to make decisions to help theosophy and TS
seem to be behind the curve.

Publishing Industry is faced with their customers demanding electronic
copies of their publications. This need is keenly felt in the professional
community which needs searchable files that can be loaded on to their
notebooks, netbooks and tablets, and even on high end wireless phones.

Yesterday, I received a flyer from a well known publisher of professional
publications. Their approach is unusual. They offered the hard copy for a
price and when you buy it, an electronic version comes with it for free.
This publisher wants to sell the product and the free electronic copy is a
inducement to their customer. I expect other well known publishers to follow
suit.

It is high time that theosophical publishers follow the example and provide
such free copies with hard copies of pricey books. The marginal cost of
providing electronic copy is pittance and even can make the buyer to
download it from a website, thus reducing the distribution costs.

It is my hope that in the very near future, all hard copy publications will
come with free electronic copies.

MKR


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